by Jill Jaracz
Why is biathlon one of the best sports at the Winter Olympics? Because on any given day, a good dozen or more athletes could win, and that unpredictability makes the sport so much fun to watch (also, the fans are usually off the hook at the Olympics). Like our recent guests Sean Doherty and Deedra Irwin said, if one of the favorites has a bad day on the shooting range, any number of others will step up and take the win. Many biathletes have been doing well on the 2025-2026 IBU World Cup circuit. Who should you be cheering for?
Norway 🇳🇴
Norway’s got more Olympic biathlon medals than any other country, and its talent pool is deep. Even though Beijing 2022 stars Johannes Thingnes Bø and Marte Olsbu Røiseland have retired, there’s a new crop of Norwegians at the top of the International Biathlon Union rankings.
Watch for Johan-Olav Botn has finished on the podium in 7 out of 10 races he’s competed in this season, but missed the first two race weekends due to illness. Teammates Sturla Holm Laegreid and Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen are also strong competitors on the circuit.
For the women, look for veteran Karoline Offigstad Knotten and newcomer Maren Kirkeeide to make waves. Kirkeeide currently wears the IBU’s blue bib for highest ranking under 23-year-old and is ranked #3 overall.
France 🇫🇷
France also has a very deep team that consistently factors in the results, particularly in relay events. On the women’s side, France has 5 members ranked in the top 12, including #1, Lou Jeanmonnot.
The men’s team is anchored by veterans Quentin Fillon Maillet (commentators sometimes call him QFM) and Emilien Jacquelin. Eric Perrot is currently ranked #3 and has already racked up several podium finishes this year.
Italy 🇮🇹
Get ready to cheer on the hometown favorites! Dorothea Wierer stuck around for a home Games, and 35-year-old could very well deliver a medal. Wierer is known for her lightning-fast, accurate shooting, which is amazing to watch. Teammate Lisa Vittozi is also a force to be reckoned with–she won the 2024 Women’s World Cup total score, but then sat out last season due to injury. She’s back and getting great results, currently ranked #9 in the overall standings. Fun fact: Hannah Auchentaller’s father Armin is one of the U.S. coaches.
Giacomel Tommaso currently holds the men’s yellow bib for top ranking overall. Four individual first place finishes seal him as one of the favorites going into the Games, something the Italian fans will love. Lukas Hofer, Didier Bionaz and Patrick Braunhofer contribute to a solid Italian relay team.
Sweden 🇸🇪
Biathlons’ roots are in Scandinavia, so it’s only fitting that Sweden is a powerhouse in the sport. Both Sebastian Samuelsson and Martin Ponsiluoma are ranked in the top 10 on the world cup circuit.
The Oeburg sisters, Hannah and Elvira, are poised to do well at Milano Cortina – both are multi-Olympic medalists and currently ranked #5 and #6. Anna Magnusson, ranked #4 is another stronghold.
Finland 🇫🇮
Since the great Kaisa Mäkäräinen retired after the 2019/2020 season, we haven’t heard much from Finland’s biathletes, but things have turned around for the team in the last few seasons. Suvi Minkkinen got a podium finish at last year’s World Championships and has only built on that, winning the first sprint race of this season. Her results have been fairly consistent throughout the season, and she’s currently ranked #2. The women’s relay team has also produced good results.
The men’s team is not as strong, but could have a shot at an Olympic diploma in a relay event.
Germany 🇩🇪
Typically a powerhouse team, German athletes have had a decent year so far, but they haven’t been making headlines. That said, they’re going to show up at Milano Cortina, so be ready.
Look for last year’s Crystal Globe winner Franziska Preuss to make her mark at the Games. Teammate Vanessa Voight is currently ranked #13, and the women have a solid relay team.
The German men have three athletes in the top 15. Philipp Nawrath started the second trimester of the season with a podium finish. Philipp Horn and Justus Strelow add a lot of depth to the German men’s relay team.
United States 🇺🇲
The U.S. has never won an Olympic medal in biathlon, but could this be their year? Campbell Wright, a Kiwi-turned-American could be their best chance. He had two surprise silver medals at last year’s World Championships and is currently ranked #10. The men’s relay team, which features TKFLSTANI Sean Doherty, is solid and could vie for a diploma.
For the women, TKFLASTANI Deedra Irwin could very well have another breakout race. After a tough first weekend of the year, she’s had some solid results, including a top 10 finish. The women’s relay team could also get a diploma finish. Fun fact: Joanne Reid, who will be at her third Olympics, is the daughter of Olympic speed skating medalist Beth Heiden and niece of speed skating legend Eric Heiden, both of whom only competed at two Olympics.
The Fans 🎉
While biathlon is exciting to watch, the fans definitely take it up a level. The Germans are frenzied–as Deedra Irwin told us, the mandatory annual stop in Oberhof is wild and loud. We learned in Paris just how excited the French get over their athletes. Norwegian and Swedish fans also vie for “Best Biathlon Fans,” and not just because they have a lot of great athletes to cheer for.
Expect to see tons of flags and fun hats. Expect to hear lots of cowbells and cheering every time a favorite athlete hits a target. It’s hard not to get caught up in biathlon’s atmosphere!